Arizona esthetician, 29, is found murdered on hiking trail close to where she ... trends now
Police have released chilling video footage of a shadowy figure sprinting through the woods as the search continues for the suspect who killed a woman on a popular hiking trail in Phoenix.
Lauren Heike, 29, was hiking Friday morning on the Reach 11 trail not far from her home when she was attacked by an unknown assailant. Her body was found the next day because police said she was in an area that isn't necessarily visible from the trail.
Heike was declared dead at the scene and Phoenix police said she had 'trauma to her body.' Police have not yet shared how Heike was murdered, but called the killer's behavior 'heinous.'
In the short clip police released on Tuesday, the figure running on the trail near where Heike's body was found, is being called a person of interest who may have information about her murder.
The person of interest is described as thin man with a dark complexion, 5′8″ to 6′ tall, who was wearing a gray or lighter-colored shirt, dark pants, a dark backpack, and shoes, police said in an update on Wednesday.
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Lauren Heike, 29, was hiking Friday on the Reach 11 trail not far from her Phoenix home when she was attacked and killed. Her body was found the next day
Police have released chilling video footage of a shadowy figure sprinting through the woods as the search continues for the suspect who killed a woman on a popular hiking trail in Phoenix
On April 29, Phoenix Police responded to the area what was described as a 'desert area' near 6500 E. Libby Street after receiving a report of an injured person.
Phoenix Homicide Lt. James Hester said in a press conference on Wednesday said they believe someone might have seen the suspect before or after the attack and asked the community to come together to help find him.
'We believe someone would have noticed this person either before the attack or after he fled from our scene,' Lt. Hester said.
Further details about the murder, including how Heike was killed or if a weapon was used, have not been released with police worried about that information harming the investigation.
'The behavior, in my opinion, was so heinous that I would imagine that the subject would be displaying symptoms that look out of place,' Lt. Hester added.
At the press conference on Wednesday, Heike's heartbroken family and friends gathered to plead with the public for any information that may bring police closer to finding the killer.
At the press conference on Wednesday, Heike's heartbroken family and friends gathered to plead with the public for any information that may bring police closer to finding the killer
Heike's parents Lana and Jeff tearfully said they just want justice for their daughter
Police have not said if this was a random attack or if it was potentially someone Heike knew
'We want somebody to come forward and help us find this person,' Heike's mother Lana said.
'Somebody wearing a backpack or a hoodie or whatever the video, it's hard to tell in a sunny hot day, that person will stand out. When you've done something, you're going to be unusual,' Lana added.
'Please think if you had seen something, were in that area, if you know of somebody
